1881 East-West Road + Honolulu, Hawai'i 96822

Center for Korean Studies Buildings

The
buildings that house the Center for Korean Studies
were designed by two Korean architects, Chong
In-guk and Na Sang-gi, with modifications and
final blueprints by two Hawai'i architects, Jo
Paul Rognstad and Vernon Kim. Ground was broken
for the start of construction on July 1, 1974.
The building was completed in December 1979. An
extensive exterior renovation was carried out
from 1998 to 2001.

Kyongbok Palace in Seoul provided the design
inspiration for the buildings. The main building
is adapted from the design of the Palace's throne
hall, called Kunjongjon, in which the king's
coronation and court rituals were held. Inside
this traditionally styled exterior, there are
two floors of offices and meeting rooms, a classroom,
an auditorium, a small library, and a third-floor
storage area. The detached octagonal pavilion
was based on the design of the Hyangwonjong Pavilion,
located in the middle of a lotus pond some distance
from the throne hall on the Kyongbok Palace grounds.

The distinctively Korean carpentry, stonework,
painting, and roofing were done by craftsmen recruited
in Korea and brought to Hawai'i exclusively for
this project. Dark green glazed Korean ceramic
tiles were shipped to Hawai'i for use on the roof,
and the exterior was painted in the brown and
green hues of traditional palace architecture.
The eaves and roof supports were finished off
in the decorative bright colors and intricate
designs of the tanch'ong painting style.

Throughout the building, the Center displays items from its collection of art and artifacts donated by individuals
and organizations. These objects include replicas
of several of the national treasures of Korea, as well as original paintings,
pottery, figurines, scrolls, calligraphy, and furniture. The collection
helps to enhance the appearance and educational value of the Center.

Hanging above the stairway in the Center's main lobby is a large painting
by Min Kyŏng-gap (Yusan). Titled
Ch'ŏnhwadae, the painting depicts the famed
mountain Soraksan. Yusan traveled to the Sorak range on Korea's eastern
coast for a month of study and then spent six months completing the work.
The painting was a gift of Pak Yong Hak and Kim Jin-Heung to the Center.

The second-floor of the Center pavilion houses The
Four Seasons, a series of eight paintings by Song Su-nam (Namch'on).
The artist visited the Center in April 1979 and decided to paint a
scene for each of the eight sides of the pavilion. Four of the paintings
depict landscapes of winter, summer, spring, and fall. The other four
paintings are renditions of the
"four gentlemen," the Confucian symbols found in traditional paintings:
bamboo, chrysanthemums, orchids, and plum blossoms, representing the qualities
of integrity, productivity, refinement, and courage. The series was a gift of
Kim Seong-Jin to the Center.